‘Wheel Of Fortune’ Avoids ‘Jeopardy’ Succession Disaster By Quickly Naming Ryan Seacrest As Pat Sajak’s Replacement

Ryan Seacrest — the host of all hosts — is gearing up for his next big television gig. The veteran TV personality revealed in an Instagram post that he will take over for Pat Sajak when he retires from Wheel of Fortune in 2024.

There was no fooling around here! Seacrest’s quick acceptance of the job allows the long-running game show to avoid the succession chaos that plagued Jeopardy! when Alex Trebek died in 2020; it took the show nearly two years to find permanent replacements in Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik.

“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest wrote in his post. “I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna [White] on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them.”

He continued, “Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”

Two weeks ago, Sajak, 76, shocked the world with his announcement that he would retire from the long-running game show after 41 years of hosting. Shortly after, it was rumored that Seacrest — who said he’s “grateful” for the opportunity — would be stepping in. And now, the rumors are officially true!

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The longtime American Idol host went on to call his new gig a “full-circle moment” as one of his first jobs was hosting a game show called Click for Merv Griffin 25 years ago.

Seacrest concluded his post by saying, “I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”

Aside from adding one more job to the lengthy resume of hosting red carpets, competition shows, New Years Eve, etc., the radio personality’s takeover also means that stars like Whoopi Goldberg — who expressed interest in nabbing the spot during a recent episode of The View — are out of luck.

But no need to worry! Seacrest is well-loved among the world so we’re sure he’ll do an exceptional job filling in Sajak’s big shoes. Plus, he needed to fill in a bit more of his time after leaving Live with Kelly and Mark in April after six successful years of co-hosting.

Wheel of Fortune airs on weeknights at 7:30/6:30c. Find local listings on the Wheel of Fortune website.